2 steps forward, 3 steps back?

I was just going over the financial details related to our ministry, as I try to do every month, to see our progress toward Mexico.  (During our years working for mission agencies we’ve been responsible for our own funding.  Of course, missionaries aren’t the only ones who do this – the first other group that pops into my mind is explorers, and there are actually a lot of parallels!  As many of you know, we have to make sure that our funds are in place before we make the big move to Mexico.  That includes “setup costs” as well as monthly support.  It’s those donations from people who believe in this ministry that put food on our table.)

Anyway, for the first time in a long time our monthly support has actually dropped instead of risen.  So you’ll see on our donation page that we’re 1% lower this month than we were last month!

Yes, that is discouraging, since this is one of the major things we need to take care of before moving to Mexico.  But I’m reminded again of the many people of faith in the Bible, and the situations that they faced.  Faith of course involves trusting in what we can’t see, and there are lots of examples of that in Scripture.  But very often it seems to also involve apparent set backs, or at least a long time of waiting.  We all know about Abraham, who waited until he was 100 for his promised son.  And then after he had the promised child, God told Abraham to sacrifice him!  Talk about a setback.  Joseph dreamed of power, and ended up in a prison.  

Ummm, isn’t this the wrong direction, God?  Moses seemed to have some ideas of being a deliverer when he was a prince in Egypt, so what’s with his career change – becoming a shepherd?  Gideon was raised up by God to deliver Israel – how was he supposed to fight an army of 1000s with only 300?  David was to be king – he was anointed by the great prophet Samuel.  So how come he spent the best years of his life as a fugitive, not even welcome in his own country?  And of course at this time of the year, we remember the Messiah, who came to show us the face of God and ended up being crucified.

We certainly don’t have it as bad as these people, and we don’t claim to have their faith!  But it was God who fulfilled the dreams He had for them.  Abraham did become a great nation.  Joseph ruled in Egypt.  Moses led the people out of Egypt.  Gideon won the battle because God won it for him.  David became one of the greatest kings of history.  And the Messiah came back to life and rules forever.  A little tiny setback – or even a drastic one – is no setback for God.  So if you’re facing it setback, keep climbing!  God loves a challenge…